Lock device for gear-shift levers.



G. C. JENSEN.

LOCK DEVICE FOR GEAR SHIFT I EVERS.y

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I3 1918.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE. y

GEORGE c. JENSEN, or OAKLAND, oALIronNm.

LOCK DEVICE FOR GEARfSI-IIFT LEVEBS.

To all rwhom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE C. JENSEN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county ofAlameda and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in LoclrDevices for Gear-Shift Levers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved locking device for levers,and has for its principal object to provide a construction capable ofattachment to a lever housing throughan opening formed therein, and whenin operative position for engaging lthe lever to prevent the same fromoperative movement, precluding the removal of the same from itsmounting, and at the same time maintaining the .locking constructionlocked within the lever mounting.

The invention consists primarily in a locking unit adapted for threadedattachment to a lever mounting and provided with a locking bolt,preferably arranged at right angles to the lever, and capable ofseating, when in locked position, in a depression within' theI lever tomaintain the lever against a stop to prevent operative movement thereofand to preclude removal. of the lever froml its mounting.

With 4the above'mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes inthe form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within thescope of the claims may be resorted to without 'departing from thespirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention reference' should be had to theaccompanying sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view of the preferred embodiment of my' invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 Fig. 1 of the drawings andviewed in the direction ofthe arrows.

In the drawings, 1 indicates Aa suitable tubular lever support providedat its upper end with a ,socket portion 2 forreception of the sphericalportion 3 formed intermediate the end of the lever 4 extended downwardlythrough the tubular support 1.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 191s.

.Application led February 13, 1918. Serial No. 216,966.

The support 1 is provided, adjacent the socket portion, with verticalgrooves 5, in which are received laterally extending lugs 6 projectingfrom :the spherical portion 3, said lugs preventing aXial rotation ofthe lever within its support. A ring 7 surrounding the lever and havingthreaded 'connection with the support 1 above the socket portion 2,bears downwardly on the spherical portion 3 and maintains saidleverfulcrumed in the support 1. i

A suitable guard or protecting cup 8 is carried by the lever above thespherical portion 3 and the same operates over the upper end of thesupport 1 to prevent the entrance of foreign material into the fulcrumconnection of the lever.

Below the spherical portion 3, the lever is provided in one side with alaterally disposed recess or opening9, and said leverl at a point belowsaid fulcrum is adapted to contact with a stop 10 projecting inwardlyfrom the inner surface of the support 1.

At a point opposite, said stop 10, and slightly above ythe same, thesupport 1 is provided lwith a threaded opening 11 adapted to receive theinner threaded end of a mounting 12 which is adapted for threaded4attachment thereinto. The mounting 12 is adapted, Whenthe bolt is inlocking posi-- tion, to project into the recess .9 and engage the leverto prevent movement of the same, and to retam the said lever in contactWith the stop 10.

The opening 11 is provided at its lower point with the offset 17, Withinwhich the inner end of the bolt projects when the same is moved tolocking position, as in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the bolt whenin-suoh position preventing the unthreading of the mounting 12 fromthesupport 1.

The undersurface of the bolt 1, adjacent the inner end thereof, .isundercut, as at 18, thus requiring but a slight rearward movement of thebolt to enablethe-reduced end 19 thereof toiclear the Wall of theopening 11 and enable the mounting 12 to b e detached from the support1, and thus reducing the necessary stroke of the operating` plunger.

The bore or channel 14 is provided at its rear end with a comparativelysmall opening 20, in Which is adapted to slide the operating plunger 21extended rearwardly from the`rear face of the locking bolt 16,

and of a diameter less than said bolt, thereby providing a stop surface22 at the rear face of the bolt for contacting with the rear Wall of thebore or channel 14 to limit the iarrvard movement of the locking bolt"'therein. The locking bolt 19 is provided With a longitudinallydisposed spring receiving bore 23 in which is extended one end of acoiled spring 24, secured at one end to said bolt, and at its oppositeend fastened to the rear Wall of the channel 14.

The upper peripheral surface of the locking boltv 16 is provided With anotch 25, in Which is adapted to be received the lower 25 reduced end 26of a longitudinally movable latch 27 mounted in a bore 28 arrangedpreferably Yat right angles to the bore 14,

and terminating at its outer end through the peripheral surface of themounting 12.

The latch 27 is normally forced into contact With the bolt 16 by acoiled spring 29,

mounted in a bore 30 in the mounting 12.

Arranged at right angles to the latch 27, and disposed parallel With thelocking bolt 16, is a locking barrel 31, preferably of thekey-controlled type, and provided with the rotatable tumbler 32,carrying an eccentric end or linger 33 which is received in a ynotch orcutout 34 in the side Wall of the latch 27.

It will be apparent that on the rotation ,of

the tumbler 32, the same Will raise the latch 27 and ,Withdraw the end26 thereof from the notch or recess 25 inthe locking bolt 16,

Whichwill enable the spring 24 to Withdraw said bolt into the bore orchannel 14 and remove the outer or reduced end thereof from the recessor depression 9 in the lever 4.

y improved construction is designed for interrupting the circuit of theignition sys-l tem when the locking bolt is in locking or operativeposition2 and in carrying out this feature, a circuit 1sformed throughthe attachment of the'wire 35 With the mounting 12 and the securing ofthe other Wire 36 of the circuit to a suitable post 37 having aspring-pressed contact or brush member 38 mounted therein, which 'isadapted, when the bolt 16 is in retracted or unlocked position, to4Contact with the surface thereof and complete a circuit therethrough.The bolt is provided with an insert of insulating material 39 with whichthe brush 38 is adapted to contact on the movement of the bolt 16 intolocking position,

thus interrupting or breaking the circuit Vversal swinging movement,said casing as in the drawing,-

between the wires 35 and 36. A suitable ini sulating plug or member 40mounts the post 37 and secures the same to the mounting 12 through athreaded bore therein.

y my improved construction I am en- '70 abled to automatically interruptthe ignition circuit of the motor When the lever is locked ininoperative position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to.protect by Let- 75 ters Patent is l 1. A mechanism for vdetachablysecuring to a lever casing and to coperate with the lever through anopening in the casing to lock the lever lfrom operative movement, thesame comprising a lock casing or mounting for detachably4 securing tothe lever casing, al longitudinally movable bolt carried there by forcoperation with the lever through said o ening in the lever casing tolock the lever rom movement, means for locking the bolt in coperativerelation with the lever, said bolt when in locking position intersectingthe lever casing to lock said lock casing from detachment from the levercasing, the inner end of said bolt being reduced, Whereby the same willclear said lever casing on a slight. movement of the bolt to admit' ofthe detachment of the locking casing from the lever casing on thereleasing of said bolt.

2. In combination With a lever casing, a lever removably fulcrumedtherein for unirovided with an opening in its wall belowpthe fulcrumpoint of said lever and formed with a'stop lying opposite said openingand with .which said lever contacts when 1n its neutral position, saidlever provided in its .side Wall at a pointl facing said opcningwith alaterally opening depression, and a longitudinally movable lockcontrolled locking bolt supported in said opening and capable oflongitudinal movement for `reception at its inner end Within saiddepression to maintain said lever in contact with said stop, 110 therebypreventingoperative movement of the lever on its fulcrum or removal ofthe same therefrom.

3. In combination With a lever casing, a

lever removably fulcrumed therein for universal swinging movement, saidcasing provided With an opening in its wall below the fulcrum point ofsaid lever, and formed with a stop lying opposite said opening and withwhich said lever contacts When in its neutral position, said leverprovided in its side Wall at a point facing said opening vvith a.laterally opening depression, a longitudinally movable lock controlledlocking belt supported in said opening and capable of longitudinalmovement for reception at its inner end Within said depression tomaintaln said lever in contact With said stop, thereby preventingoperative movement of the lever on its fulcrum or removal of the`locking bolt tocomplete a circuit therethrough when the bolt is in itsunlocked position, and an insulating portion carried by I said lockingbolt for contacting with said contact member on the movement of saidbolt to locking position, whereby the circuit therethrough is broken onthe locking of said lever from movement.

4. In combination with a lever casing, a lever removably positionedtherein and fulcrumed therein for universal swinging movement, saidcasing provided below the fulcrum pointof said lever with an opening inits side wall, and formed with a stop lying opposite said opening andwith which said lever contacts when in its neutral position, said leverprovided in its side wall at a poi-nt facing said opening with a lateralopening depression, a lock casing or mounting for detachably securing tosaid lever casing through said side wall opening, a longitudinallymovable locking bolt therellocking bolt to complete in and capable ofmovement for reception at its inner end within saiddepression tomaintain said lever in contact with said stop thereby preventingoperative movement o the lever on itsfulcrum or removal therefrom, saidbolt when in locking position intersecting said lever casing to locksaid lock Ki casing thereto, an electrical contact member carried bysaid lock casing and insulated therefrom and adapted to contact withsaid a circuit therethrough when the bolt is in its unlockedposition,and an insulating portion carried by said locking bolt forcontacting with the said contact member on the movement. of said bolt tolocking position, whereby the circuit therethrough will be broken on thelocking of said lever from movement.

In testimony whereof -I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGEV C. JENSEN.

Witnesses:

HARRY A. To'rrnN, D. B. RICHARDS.

